Jeffrey Freedman Attorneys at Law

05/26/2026

Claims based on mental illness are initially denied at twice the rate of claims based on physical issues, in part because mental health evidence is subjective and partly because symptoms are rarely consistent on any given day. The complicated nature of mental illness, however, should not dictate SSA’s ability to award benefits fairly.

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://www.jeffreyfreedman.com/another-voice-ssd-claimants-with-mental-health-issues-are-challenged-to-prove-eligibility/

By Jeffrey Freedman Article appeared in The Buffalo News and Sun Sentinel Individuals claiming Social Security Disability Insurance benefits typically struggle to prove their cases. Additionally, they have to survive...

05/19/2026

“The administration is working on a rule change that would deduct the value of a disabled adult’s bedroom from their SSI allotment, even if the family members they live with are poor enough to qualify for food stamps. This would mean slashing the benefits of some of the most low-income SSI recipients by up to a third…”

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/30/health/disabled-adults-trump-administration-propublica

A rule change pushed by White House officials would slash benefits or end support for as many as 400,000 Supplemental Security Income recipients with Down syndrome, dementia and other disabilities whose parents or relatives receive SNAP benefits.

05/05/2026

After serving in Iraq and suffering an accident that almost killed him, retired USMC gunnery sergeant, Lew Duckwall and his wife, Nicole, founded Patriot Anglers to help veterans and active military members “restore their minds and bodies through nature” on fly-fishing excursions to combat PTSD and other lingering consequences of service.

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://www.military.com/feature/2026/03/31/texas-nonprofit-uses-fly-fishing-help-veterans-ptsd.html-0?ESRC=eb_260401.nl&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eb&utm_campaign=20260401

PTSD is common among combat veterans. Texas nonprofit Patriot Anglers uses fly-fishing to help veterans heal, founded by combat veteran Lew Duckwall and his wife.

04/30/2026

A new law has been introduced in Congress that would fill a gap in the benefits National Guard members are entitled to receive. As it currently stands, they are only entitled to active-duty benefits if they are mobilized under specific circumstances, but the proposed legislation would entitle them to receive the same benefits for some missions even if no national emergency service declaration is made.

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/va-benefits-would-change-for-thousands-of-veterans-under-new-bill/ar-AA21kXZY

The Guard Equal Benefits for Federal Missions Act would change how National Guard deployments are classified for benefit purposes.

04/28/2026

The legacy of DOGE’s massive cuts to Social Security Administration have taken a disastrous toll on customer service for Americans who depend on retirement and disability benefits to survive. An investigation into the changes show that wait times to speak to agency representatives are ten times longer than SSA claims on their website, and many calls are never even answered.

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/23/democrats-social-security-office-benefits-trump-cuts

Report from Elizabeth Warren calls Trump administration cuts to Social Security Administration ‘catastrophic’

04/23/2026

“Housing, employment, access to benefits and legal assistance are essential. But for veterans experiencing psychiatric instability or episodic crises, clinically directed mental health treatment must be the foundation of the intervention. Without that base, stabilization is fragile and recovery uncertain.”

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/04/op-ed-veterans-mental-health-is-suffering-were-turning-it-around/

For those in corrections system, support services must begin before release and embrace every need on reentry

04/21/2026

“Great firm to work with. They did a fantastic job winning my social security disability case. Jeffrey Freedman and his entire team worked very hard for me and my family. I can’t thank them enough.”

04/16/2026

“Americans are right to worry about our current COLA projection. The fact is that most senior households already get by on only about 58% as much income as their working-age counterparts, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a middle-class or working-class American who thinks the economy is doing well right now, especially as oil prices rise.”

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/5832784-a-new-social-security-cola-projection-may-be-cause-for-worry-senior-group-says/

If their current projections are right, next year’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for senior citizens receiving Social Security benefits could be cause for “worry,” according to The Senior Citiz…

04/14/2026

“By focusing on the time between referral and treatment, rather than just appointment scheduling, the legislation is looking to address a gap that supporters say contributes to prolonged wait times and inconsistent care, particularly for veterans who must seek services outside VA facilities.”

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://www.newsweek.com/va-change-under-new-bill-would-boost-care-for-millions-of-veterans-11802445

The legislation would establish uniform timing benchmarks for VA specialty care appointments.

04/09/2026

As of early 2025, applicants for disability benefits through Social Security were waiting an average of seven months to receive an initial eligibility determination. While the SSA is implementing changes in an effort to streamline the process and depend more on technology, industry experts warn it could make resolving complex cases take even longer.

If you have any questions about this topic, please contact one of my offices at:

Buffalo Office
424 Main Street, Suite 615
Buffalo New York, 14202

Florida Office *
625 Casa Loma Blvd, Suite 1202
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

716-856-7091 - Office
716-725-1233 - Cell
[email protected]
www.jeffreyfreedman.com

* Florida practice is restricted to representing claimants before the Social Security Administration.

https://nationaltoday.com/us/dc/washington/news/2026/03/08/social-security-administration-rolls-out-major-changes-to-disability-payments-and-customer-service/

The Social Security Administration is implementing significant changes to how it handles disability payments and customer service. The new disability process aims to speed up eligibility determinations and reduce the agency's backlog of over 2 million claims. The SSA is also centralizing its 1,250 f...

04/01/2026

🎉 Celebrating 46 Years of Service – Jeffrey Freedman Attorneys at Law 🎉

On April 1, 2026, Jeffrey Freedman Attorneys at Law proudly celebrates our 46th anniversary.

Founded in Buffalo, New York, our firm has grown from a local practice into a nationwide presence, now serving clients across the country. Over the past four decades, we have remained committed to one mission: helping people facing medical challenges and injuries build better, more secure lives.

Since 1980, we have helped more than 22,000 clients with Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims. In total, we have represented over 50,000 clients in SSD, personal injury, workers’ compensation, long-term disability, and employment discrimination matters.

Our success is rooted in our people. The average tenure of our employees is an extraordinary 20 years—a reflection of the dedication, experience, and compassion that define our firm.

While our reach is now nationwide, our heart remains in Buffalo, where it all began. We are deeply committed to strengthening the communities we serve and making a positive difference in the lives of our clients.

Thank you for trusting us for the past 46 years. We look forward to continuing to serve you for many years to come.

— Jeffrey Freedman Attorneys at Law